Danielle Mac

Monday, 21 May 2018

I could think of a million things to do on my birthday, like shopping. Am sure everyone has heard of Neighbours, that cheesy theme song "everyone needs good neighbours". Neighbours is a tv show filmed in Melbourne, Australia. My Mother is mad on neighbours and seemed to think of herself on my birthday. She booked for us to go to the Neighbours Tour, known I have never watched Neighbours in my life. My birthday is the same date every year and I had other plans. Anyway let's get on and I'll share my review of the tour from not fan side.

We arrived in Melbourne (on my birthday) and the tour started at Flinders Street, at 10am. The tour guide shouted who's excited to start the tour put yours hands up. I kept my hand down and the tour guide looked. I said I got made to and I've have never watched Neighbours in my life.

Then we all had to get on a geeky designed Neighbours bus. It had the word "Neighbours in big writhing across the bus, so everyone would know you were on the Neighbors tour. The tour guide started shouting questions and everyone was screaming the answers. I was the one person sitting looking confused, as none of the names or anything they shout meant anything to me. On the drive to set they played the cheesy theme song "everyone needs good neighbors" and the tour guide was asking everyone which Neighbours star you'd meet at the end of the tour. The only I knew that was on Neighbors was Kylie Minogue, but I knew she was too famous to be doing Neighbours tour greets haha. I knew of Holly Valance, only because her song "Kiss Kiss", not through Neighbours. I sat and listened to everyone shouting out names of cast they hoped to meet.

We arrived at Nunawading Studios and the set is soo small, that the road just goes round in a square. Then we were told, we could get of the bus and pose for photos beside features used in Neighbours. I decided to play along to the photo part and pose beside random features. The one thing I noticed no one seemed in a hurry to pose for their photo beside features. The tour guide would say look out for cast coming and leaving, so every time someone was walking near he'd shout "oh oh who's this coming" and everyone was too busy looking at the person coming in and out of the building. Then there was me on my own, no queue posing for photos at random things.

We then had to get back on the tour bus and we drove to the famous "Ramsay Street". It's actually a street called Pine Oak Court and we were given a fake street sign saying Ramsay Street to take photos.

At the end of the tour we were driven back to Flinders Street, where we met a past cast Libby Kennedy, played by Kym Valentine. Kym was nice - she said happy birthday give me a hug - so there we were strangers hugging haha.

I am sure if you're a Neighbours fan you'd have even more fun, however being pointed to "the school", "bla bla's house" or the other props, it didn't mean anything to me.

Sunday, 20 May 2018

I remember growing up seeing my Mums side of the family all the time. I saw my Dads side of the family maybe a handful of times, but that's just how it went.

One day I was googling the house that was in my Dads side of the family for years. I came across a story online called "About My Nan, as she told it". I quickly scrolled through the story to see how google picked up this story on my search words. We had soo much in common, her family lived in the same house, they were related to the movie star Hugh McDermott, they mentioned names I'd heard mentioned. I was curious, but at the same time I didn't know how they'd react to me contacting them. I clicked on the contact section and sent a message saying "I think we might be related". Within a few hours I got a reply from a Kirsty and we were discussing who were related to. It turned out Kirsty's Nan and my great Gran were first Cousin's.

Kirsty lives in Australia and I live in Edinburgh, so we stayed in contact on Facebook. The second I knew I was going to Australia, I messaged Kirsty and we were discussing meeting.

Kirsty messaged saying she'd meet us at the Gold Coast Airport. I remember stepping of the plane and walking into the airport and spotting someone who looked like the photos online, but they were looking down at their phone. I was 99% sure it was Kirsty, but at the same time I thought what if I go and it's not her. I stopped and looked directly at her and she looked up and we both smiled at each other. She came over and was like give me a hug haha. I met her family (or my family haha) and spent everyday in the Gold Coast together. It feels crazy to think we met online, but am glad we stumbled across each other. My family judge you, but meeting Kirsty it was different. Her whole family is funny, laid back and open with each other. We talked about everything, family, shopping and men haha.

I was given a Nomination bracelet for my birthday. The Nomination bracelet, you can add charms to it. My one has number "30" and Sydney Harbour bridge. I assume the person choose them, as I went to Australia for my birthday.

Am one of these people who I wouldn't want to change something someone gave, I mean that's how they gave it to you. So I'll probably not add to mine.

Friday, 18 May 2018

Hi everyone I have been over in Australia the past month, so I thought it would be fun to share things I noticed that were different. I was having this conversation with Australian Cousin's things you think is common, it's actually different and you don't realise till you visit another country.

They love chicken salt, I mean on everything. When I was first asked if I wanted chicken salt, I was like what is chicken salt ? But it does give chips that extra taste.

Eating Vegemite of a spoon is a thing in Australia ( It was the first time for me - no words can describe it haha )

There's no other way to describe Australia than half American / British. I saw every American sweets imaginable, but I also saw British sweets. They have Rolo in a bar. They even have M&M bars. To me M&M's should be in a bag, we only get bags on M&M's - not bars.

McDonalds is called "Maccas" and they have McCafe. McCafe has toastie's, cheesecakes, you name it.

Thursday, 17 May 2018

I set plans to go to Los Angeles for my 30th birthday. Then one day my mum said she'd take me to Australia for my birthday, telling me it would be something better to write about on my blog. All I was told was she booked through a travel company called Trail Finders. Normally travel agents show photos of the hotel room before booking. The hotels were soo bad the beds were folding hospital like beds. Thats why when I book holidays I always look up photos of the hotels and reviews online, before I book. Some days my mum would tell me I was to share a hotel room with my parents, other times I was told I had my own hotel room. So I assumed she was joking about the whole share a room thing. When we arrived at the 1st hotel the reception woman said "it's got you down for sharing a room, is that correct?" My mum replied yes. When I quizzed my mum why I was treated different when my brother and his wife got 2 holidays (flight and hotel room) paid for for their 30th birthday, my mum replied "because they are married". I believe marriage is only for when you meet the right person, so I ended up laying awake most nights in the hotel room feeling closed in.

I planned to spend my birthday shopping and seeing all the Australian shops. However my mum booked for us to go to the Neighbors Tours. (I have never watched Neighbors in my life). I ended up spending my birthday on the Neighbors tour bus sitting closing my eyes, while they played the cheesy Neighbors theme song and showed round the set which meant nothing to me. At least walking looking at shops after a 20 hour flight, would have kept me awake.

I made the most of being in Australia and done things I dreamed of doing, since I watched Mary-Kate and Ashley's movie "Our Lips Are Sealed" :

Monday, 23 April 2018

As I stated previously I was saving to go to Australia and ended up going on a huge spending spree buying new clothes, I ended up buying the Glossier products I've been holding of buying for ages. I have been wanting to try Glossier lid star since it came out and the solid perfume, but I've been telling myself I don't need it. Then I spotted Glossier have a sun cream, so I thought if am going to buy the sun cream I might as well buy everything else I want.

It's my birthday here in Australia, I guess I can call it my birthday present from me.

Products :

Solid Glossier You perfume

Lidstar : Fawn | Cub

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*Link contains a refer link which pays me a small amount when you shop.

Saturday, 21 April 2018

I told myself I wasn't buying anything till I was in Australia, I failed. The fun part of going away is buying new clothes to wear. I needed pairs of shorts and I think I got carried away online shopping.